Face The Music
by derangedperson
Summary: Set in the MLP: FIM universe.  The popular rock band Warhorse is coming to Ponyville, and unbeknownst to her friends, Fluttershy is their biggest fan.  A secret like that can't stay secret for long...
1. The One You Least Expect

It was a beautiful sunny day in Ponyville. Thanks to weather management, not a cloud was in sight and everypony was outside making the most of the day. The main square bustled with activity-Carrot Top hawking her wares, a friendly race between Lyra and Bon Bon, conversations and well wishes, and a billboard near City Hall that had grabbed the attention of Twilight Sparkle and her friends, especially Rainbow Dash. The blue pegasus was practically jumping out of her skin at the sight of it, exclaiming "ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh" as she scanned the billboard again and again:

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23  
>ONE NIGHT ONLY AT MAREDISON SQUARE STABLE<br>**WARHORSE**  
>TICKETS ON SALE NOW! GET 'EM BEFORE THEY'RE SOLD OUT!<p>

"Are you seeing this, guys? ARE YOU SEEING THIS?" Dash exclaimed.

"Every bit of it, darling," Rarity answered.

"This is unbelievable! One night only...I've _gotta_ make this show!"

Twilight glanced at the four horses on the poster. With their long manes, beards, pierced ears and surly demeanor, they looked like they meant business. "I can't say I've ever heard of Warhorse," she said. "What kind of music do they play?"

Rainbow's jaw almost hit the ground as she exclaimed, "You've never heard of Warhorse?"

"Well, I've only been here for a year, Rainbow. Remember that."

"Oh, sure. Well, Warhorse is one of the most popular rock bands in Equestria. You've got James over there on guitar, Terry on bass and vocals, John on drums, and Marty on rhythm guitar," she explained. "They've been around for as long as I can remember; they put albums out at least every other year, and their songs are on the radio all the time! It's hard to find a pony in these parts who _hasn't_ heard a Warhorse song!"

"Well, what songs do they sing?"

"The most popular one is 'Hooves Down,' if you're looking for a place to start. It goes: 'When the going gets tough, you stand up and fight!'"

Pinkie Pie joined in with the next line: "Put your hooves down and charge in with all of your might!"

Twilight was surprised to see Applejack join in the chorus, singing with just as much enthusiasm: "Get the enemy locked on and dead in your sights..."

The trio finished the chorus with a simultaneous yell: "And put your hooves down and CHAAAAAAAAAAAARGE...WITH ALL OF YOUR MIGHT!"

The combined force of their yell knocked Twilight onto her back, dizzying her for a second before she regained her bearings. "Judging by that, it sounds like the three of you are fans."

"HUGE fans!" Pinkie exclaimed as she threw her hooves in the air. "Warhorse ROCKS!"

"They give my legs an extra charge when I'm buckin' the trees at the farm," Applejack added with a grin. "Why, most of the time I'll be singin' that or 'Lead The Way' when I'm in the fields." She then began to sing the song's chorus under her breath: "We will lead the way to victory and glory...freedom will await those who believe..."

"What about you, Rarity?" Twilight asked. "Are you a fan?"

"Not really, Twilight. I've heard some of their songs and...they didn't really appeal to me. I much prefer the stylings of jazz and big bands."

"One of these days I'll get you to like 'em, Rarity," Dash cracked.

"Fluttershy, what about..." Twilight began to ask the yellow pegasus that same question, but when she turned around to face her, she was nowhere to be found. Confused, she looked around for a few seconds before Pinkie said, "You guys think we overdid it on the scream? Maybe we scared her off."

"No way!" Rainbow Dash insisted. "The band screams the end of the chorus just like that, and we've gotta do it right if we want to be noticed at the show!" She turned to Twilight and said, "It's only fair that you get ready too, Twi. I can borrow you some of their albums if you want."

"I'll take you up on that offer, Dash. They certainly sound interesting."

"AWESOME! I'll drop 'em off at the library. Catch you later!" She took to the sky in a flash, rocketing back to Cloudsdale as her friends went into town. But what none of them knew was that as soon as she caught sight of the billboard, Fluttershy had flown back to her house as fast as she could. Her exit had gone unnoticed thanks to Pinkie, Rainbow and Applejack's rendition of "Hooves Down," and for that, she was grateful. As she entered her house, she looked around to make sure nopony had followed her, sighing with relief when she noticed she was all by herself. Making her way upstairs, she opened the trapdoor to the attic and gasped.

Angel Bunny was sitting at the top of the steps, shaking his head at her.

"Oh, I know, Angel, but I had a good reason to leave!"

He tilted his head sideways as if to say, "Okay...let's hear it."

"Warhorse is coming to Ponyville in three days! THREE DAYS!"

Angel's eyes widened and he bounded down the steps until he was face level with Fluttershy. A wide, enthusiastic grin spread across her face with Angel's expression matching hers until they both exploded in a fanpony-level scream of joy.

"I can only imagine what they'll play: 'Hooves Down' for sure. Oh, and maybe 'In Sanity.' 'Gaining Ground,' 'And Now You Know,' 'Fire At Will'-oh, Angel, you have no idea how long I've waited for this!" she exclaimed as she entered her attic. "Once I see them in concert, I can truly say I'm a fan."

During the countless trips her friends had made to her house, none of them knew that Fluttershy's attic had long since been converted into a miniature shrine to Warhorse. More than that, none of them knew that she was a fan of the band. But there she was in her attic, the walls adorned with posters and flyers of Warhorse onstage, hoof-drawn pictures of them and their logo, strings of black lights dangling from the rafters, and last but not least, a state-of-the-art turntable with crystal-clear sound.

"This calls for a celebration, Angel! HIT IT!"

Angel kicked the side of the turntable, knocking the needle into the record's groove. Within seconds, a blazing guitar riff echoed through the attic as pony and bunny sang along and banged their heads to the music. As they let themselves go, Fluttershy had but one thought going through her head:

_All I need to do now is buy a ticket._

* * *

><p>When Twilight returned to the library, she found that Rainbow Dash had made good on her word. A package rested on her desk with a note attached to it that read:<p>

_Here's some of Warhorse's best. Enjoy!  
>-RD<em>

Opening the package revealed three Warhorse albums, the first of which, _The Living End,_ had a rather frightening screaming horse head on its cover. The second, _Know Your Limits,_ featured on its front cover a bridle-wearing horse pulling something offscreen by way of a long rope. The back cover showed that the rope was attached to a massive backhoe digging its way through the landscape, the ground around it ripped apart. The third was their self-titled album, featuring a group shot of the band on its front cover posing against a black background. Twilight cocked her eyebrow and asked, "What have I gotten myself into?"

"Something awesome, apparently," Spike said as he put a book on a shelf. "Rainbow Dash kept talking about how awesome it was that you were gonna try and get into some band she likes." He glanced at the self-titled album and cracked, "Looks like they're getting ready for either a fight or a mugshot."

Twilight grinned and said, "Spike, that's the point. Bands like this have to show toughness and strength to appeal to their audience."

"And are _you_ one of their audience?"

"I don't know...but let's find out if I will be." She pulled the LP out of the protective sleeve with her magic and laid it on her turntable, dropping the needle into the groove. The self-titled Warhorse album kicked off with the song that had knocked her over earlier, "Hooves Down." Twilight's initial skepticism was offset by the fact that she was tapping her hooves and nodding her head in time to the music by the third verse, singing along to the chorus with the same enthusiasm her friends had exhibited back in town. As the album continued to play, Twilight found herself drawn into the music, losing herself in the melodies and lyrics. It was as if a new world was opening up to her, a world she'd never known before that moment...and she was loving every second of it.

* * *

><p>A FEW NOTES<p>

*MLP: FIM belongs to Hasbro and Lauren Faust. Warhorse belongs to me.

*The members of Warhorse are named after:

James Hetfield (guitarist/vocalist for Metallica)  
>Terry "Geezer" Butler (bassist for Black Sabbath)<br>John Bonham (drummer for Led Zeppelin)  
>Marty Friedman (former guitarist for Megadeth)<p>

*The Warhorse album covers are homages to the following:  
><em><br>The Living End _= Mastodon's _The Hunter _  
><em>Know Your Limits <em>= An album cover by Storm Thorgerson or Hugh Syme  
>The self-titled album = <em>Queen II <em>


	2. Ticket Flustered

The next day Fluttershy and Angel cruised through the outskirts of Ponyville, the both of them giddy with anticipation for the upcoming concert. As they passed near Maredison Square Stable, Fluttershy's heart began to pound. _Oh my...here's my chance! _Feeling even giddier than before, she flew to the ticket window and steeled herself for her upcoming request.

"Oh boy, Angel, this is it!" she exclaimed as the sales clerk came to the window. "Can I help you, miss?" he asked.

"Oh, yes. I would like to purchase a ticket to the Warhorse show, please."

"Okay...and where would you like to sit?"

"Um...are there still general admission tickets available?"

The clerk glanced over the sales records and replied, "Actually, there are still some available. The concert's almost sold out, though, so act fast."

"Will I need to buy one for my friend?" Angel stood on her head and waved at the clerk as she asked the question, to which he replied, "Yes, ma'am."

"Okay...two tickets, please."

"That'll be fifty bits."

Angel hopped into her saddlebag and rooted around for a few seconds, emerging with a small purse. He climbed onto the window ledge and began to count out the money when he heard a female voice call out, "Hey Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy whirled around to see Applejack standing near the venue's marquee and gasped in surprise. In a flash, she grabbed Angel and stuffed him into her bag, giving a nervous smile and stammering, "Oh...um...hi, Applejack. I...didn't see you there."

"What're ya doin' here, sugarcube?"

"Oh...nothing. Just talking with the clerk."

"Looks to me like ya were buyin' a ticket to the show. Are you a fan of Warhorse?"

The yellow pegasus blanched. _Oh no...what do I say? WHAT DO I SAY?_ "Um..." Her eyes shifted back and forth, trying to avoid Applejack's gaze. "Um..."

"Well, are ya a fan or not, Fluttershy?"

"No. Not really. I was just...checking to see if there were still tickets available." Applejack shot her a confused look as she continued: "You know, just in case you or Pinkie or Rainbow Dash were going. I just...wanted to make sure you wouldn't be disappointed." She gave a nervous, unconvincing smile as she finished her excuse, knowing Applejack wouldn't buy it.

"Fluttershy, don't lie like that. You can tell me anything, okay?"

"Applejack..." Fluttershy racked her brain, trying to figure out what to say. "...I truly was checking to see if tickets were still available."

"Well, if that's the case, you should've looked at the sign," the orange pony replied as she pointed to a placard that loudly announced GREAT SEATS STILL AVAILABLE! Fluttershy blushed and said, "Oopsie. Guess I didn't see that."

"Well, it's still good to know that there's seats left." Without hesitation, Applejack went to the ticket counter and bought one for herself. "Isn't that right, Fluttershy?"

Her question was answered with silence, and when she turned around after calling her name again, Fluttershy was nowhere to be found. Confused, Applejack put the ticket under her hat and trotted back to Sweet Apple Acres with an extra spring in her step.

Two days till showtime.


	3. Coming Clean

Angel Bunny was irritated.

Scratch that-Angel Bunny was incensed. He made no secret of the fact that he disapproved of Fluttershy's actions with frantic gestures and angry facial expressions that said, "What were you _thinking?_ Why didn't you just come out and say, 'Yeah, I'm a fan of Warhorse!'?"

"Oh, Angel, I wanted to. Very much so, but if the girls find out I'm a fan..."

The bunny narrowed his eyes at her, shaking his head.

"I know they're my friends, but...they'd never believe something like this. Sweet, timid Fluttershy is a fan of one of the hardest rocking bands in Equestria? Nonsense!" She flew towards Ponyville, deciding that paying Twilight a visit would be a perfect tonic to the fiasco at the Stable. "Besides, if there's anypony who understands how awkward situations like this can be, it's probably Twilight. She'll know what to do."

With the library in sight, Fluttershy prepared to knock on the door when she heard familiar music coming from an open window. She hid underneath the sill and poked her ear up, gasping as she recognized the music. Angel gestured, "What is it?"

Astonished, she whispered, "Twilight's listening to 'In Sanity!'"

She poked her head up over the sill to witness Twilight and Spike dancing around the library, banging their heads and singing along as loud as they could. Before long, Fluttershy found herself joining in, and the chorus to this particular song was proving near impossible _not_ to sing along to:

_Insane is just a state of mind we visit every day  
>Look inside and realize you're living in sanity<br>Break yourself down and find out the way  
>To beat down your demons and reign in sanity<em>

It was apparent to her that Twilight and Spike had become fans of Warhorse quicker than anypony she knew. She smiled as she watched the festivities within, but her singing, soft and under her breath to begin with, grew louder and louder until unicorn and dragon stopped dancing and looked towards the window, surprised to find Fluttershy and Angel standing there.

The record scratched to a halt as Twilight called out her friend's name, to which Fluttershy responded by letting out a small scream and ducking out of sight.

"We know you're there, Fluttershy," Spike said. "Come on out."

She raised her head and gave a sheepish grin. "Hi, Twilight. Hi, Spike. Is it okay if I come in?"

"Of course," Twilight answered. With her blessing, Fluttershy flew in through the window and caught sight of the Warhorse albums almost instantly. "Who borrowed these to you?"

"Rainbow Dash. After hearing her talk about them at the billboard yesterday, I decided to give them a shot, and Dash was kind enough to lend these to me."

"Well, she certainly picked three of their best albums."

"I thought so too. Granted, I'm still new to the band, but I think I've gotten..." Twilight's voice trailed off as she shot Fluttershy a quizzical look.

"What's that look for?" Fluttershy asked, confused.

"Quick quiz," Twilight said. "What's the second track on _Know Your Limits_?"

"Meeting Of The Minds."

Twilight glanced at the tracklisting-she was right. "Okay, what's the name of the fifth song on their self-titled album?"

"Ire."

Right again.

"John's nickname for his drums?"

"The Batterie."

The minimal hesitation in her answers...the excitement in her eyes as she gave them...the singing...it all added up. "You're a fan of Warhorse, aren't you?"

Fluttershy glanced back at Angel, who gave her a look that suggested, "Tell her."

"Actually, I...I read about them in a book called 'A Complete Guide To Rock Music In Equestria.' I've heard that song playing in a record store before, and the chorus just stuck with me." She gave another lame smile as Angel facepawed and shook his head in frustration.

"Fluttershy, I don't even know if there _is_ such a book."

"Sure there is!" Spike answered as he pulled a copy off of a shelf. "It was under R for Rock Music."

"Well, I'll be," Twilight said. She flipped the book to the section on Warhorse and read through it, confirming everything Fluttershy had said. "Right on all counts."

The yellow pegasus turned to leave when she felt Angel tug on her mane. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the bunny give her a gesture saying, "Tell her why you're here." Steeling herself for the worst, she began: "Twilight...can I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can."

"Hypothetically...if I were to tell you I _was_ a fan of Warhorse...hypothetically...would you...believe me?"

Twilight smiled and replied, "Fluttershy, what are you worried about? Are you really worried that we'll think less of you because you like them?"

"Hypothetically!" she insisted.

"Fluttershy, there's nothing to be ashamed of," Twilight said as she sat down beside her. "Everypony has different tastes and interests. There's no shame in admitting that you like Warhorse. It's written all over your face."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. I want to hear you say it. Say you're a fan of Warhorse."

Fluttershy gulped and stood up, hesitating before mumbling, "I'mafanofWarhorse."

"What's that?"

"I said...I'm a...fan of Warhorse."

"A little louder. Spike couldn't hear you."

"I'm a fan of Warhorse!"

"One more time!"

_"I'm a fan of Warhorse!"_

"Are you sure?"

"I AM A FAN OF WARHORSE, AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!" She threw her hooves in the air and screamed, "WARHORSE _ROCKS!"_

All of a sudden, she heard a rough, tomboyish voice chuckle behind her and exclaim, "I KNEW IT!"

* * *

><p>A FEW NOTES<p>

*The nickname for John's drum set is from when Bill Bruford was in King Crimson; his drums were referred to in the credits as "Batterie."


	4. The Extent

Rainbow Dash's voice cut through the air like a knife, startling Fluttershy out of her wits and sending her rocketing into the air. She landed facing backwards, her friends standing there with big, satisfied smiles on their faces.

"Wait...so...all of you knew I was a fan?"

"Of course we did, silly," Pinkie Pie said.

"But..._how?_"

"Remember when we went to confront that dragon?" Rainbow asked. "When you were going up the mountain with us, I heard you singing 'Lead The Way' to give yourself some confidence."

"Whenever we pass by a house or a store that's playing one of their songs, you almost always stop to listen," Applejack said. "The smile you have on your face when that happens is proof enough."

"Hey Fluttershy, you know how I knew?" Pinkie asked.

"How?"

"One day when I came to visit you, I couldn't find you and I saw that the attic was open. I peeked in and saw all your Warhorse stuff up there. It blew me away!"

"You saw my little shrine?"

"Oh yeah! It's amazing, all the Warhorse stuff you have!"

"Really?" Dash asked with a hint of skepticism. "Shall we see what she's got up there?"

The cat was out of the bag now. Her cheeks flushed with happiness and relief as she said, "Sure. Come on over and I'll show you everything...if you want me to, that is."

"Allow me, Fluttershy," Twilight said. She used her magic to transport everypony to Fluttershy's house, reappearing in her living room. After regaining their bearings, everypony followed the yellow pegasus to her attic, gasping at the extent of her fandom.

"Look at all these photos!" Applejack exclaimed. "These are amazing!"

Rainbow Dash held up an LP and gasped. "The 'Stall Days Re-Revisited' EP! Do you have any idea how rare this is?"

"Very. I was looking for that one forever, and I found it in a used record store a few months ago for ten bits."

"No way. I've seen this go for at least _one hundred bits!_"

"I guess the shopkeeper didn't know what she had on her hooves."

Rarity looked around at the arrangement of the lights, photos, posters and T-shirts and said, "You've done a splendid job with the design in here. It truly feels like a...rocker's paradise."

"Thank you, Rarity. That's what I was going for."

Dash continued to gape at the memorabilia Fluttershy had amassed. Guitar picks, a freestanding cardboard cutout of the band, a whole rack of official and unofficial T-shirts, pristine copies of all seven of their albums and, to her utter shock, what was considered the Holy Grail of Warhorse memorabilia:

"AN UNOPENED COPY OF THEIR DEBUT EP! _UNOPENED!_"

"It's a first pressing, too."

Dash's legs began to quiver and she threw herself at Fluttershy's hooves. "All this time I thought I was Warhorse's biggest fan, but you have me beat and THEN some! TEACH ME YOUR SECRETS!"

"This isn't a competition, Dashie," Pinkie giggled. "You're just as big a fan as she is, or Applejack is, or Twilight is, or I is!"

Dash got up and dusted herself off. "Do you have a ticket to the show?"

"Not yet..." Fluttershy said as she looked away.

"Well, you'd better hurry! We've all got ours, and I'd hate to see you get left out!"

A look of steel-eyed determination formed on Fluttershy's face as she exclaimed, "RIGHT! I will march down to Maredison Square Stable and buy tickets for Angel and I RIGHT NOW! Wish me luck!" She exited her house and took off, flying straight towards the venue with laser speed. Landing at the ticket window, she exclaimed, "I would like two tickets to the concert, please! And this time I mean it!"

The clerk was startled out of his seat by Fluttershy's out-of-nowhere appearance, but he righted himself and looked through his sales records again, a sympathetic frown forming on his face.

"I'm sorry, but we just sold out."

* * *

><p>A FEW NOTES<p>

*The _Stall Days Re-Revisited _EP is an homage to Metallica's _Garage Days Re-Revisited _EP.


	5. Sadness Becomes Joy

Fluttershy stood stock still, the clerk's words not registering in her head. "Um..._what?"_

"We're sold out. The last ticket went about ten minutes ago."

All of a sudden, she felt sick to her stomach. She could feel her world crashing down as she squeaked out, "O...o...kay. So...sorry to have troubled you."

Hanging her head, she went to a nearby tangle of bushes and sat down, replaying the meeting with Applejack in her mind. _Why didn't I just say it? Why didn't I tell Applejack I was a fan when I had the chance?_

She shut her eyes and mumbled, "Now I'll never get to see Warhorse...and it's all my fault." Burying her face in her hooves, she heard a male voice behind her ask, "Hey kid, what's wrong?"

"I've been a Warhorse fan for a long time, sir," Fluttershy explained. "I kept it a secret from my friends for an even longer time."

"Now why would you do that?"

"Well, I'm not exactly the kind of pony who looks like she'd listen to Warhorse. I thought that if my friends knew I was a fan, they'd think I was weird or that I was lying."

"Being a fan's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know that now, but I was here earlier today buying tickets for myself and my friend Angel...and I didn't do it! One of my friends showed up, and I just ran off! I'm such an idiot!"

She felt a hoof on her back as the colt said, "Look at me, kid."

Fluttershy sniffled and did so, her eyes widening in surprise and shock as she recognized who was talking to her. Her jaw nearly hit the ground as she exclaimed, "You...you're...you're Terry! OH MY CELESTIA, YOU'RE TERRY FROM WARHORSE!"

Terry smiled and replied, "Don't beat yourself up. Everypony makes mistakes."

"But now the show's sold out! There's no way for me to get a ticket!"

"You know...that's not necessarily true."

"What do you mean?"

Terry got up and said, "Come with me. I think I can help you."

Fluttershy followed him back to an open field near the venue where the band and their road crew were hanging out and enjoying themselves. Some of their roadies had whipped up a massive leafy green salad for everypony as well as a whole array of drinks, snacks and hors d'oeuvres. "It looks like everypony's having a good time," Fluttershy said.

"They just finished building the stage and setting up the sound and visuals about an hour ago," Terry explained. "Everything was done ahead of schedule, so they're celebrating with this party."

_And _what_ a party,_ she thought. _If only Pinkie could see this._

Terry grabbed a plate of food for Fluttershy and Angel, as well as himself, and sat down with her near his bandmates. "Hey guys!" he called. "Come on over here and say hi to..." He leaned in and asked her name.

"Fl...Fluttershy."

"...Say hi to Fluttershy!" Marty, John and James all came over and exchanged greetings and hoofshakes with the awestruck pony, her jaw dropping so far it looked like it would unhinge. "Guys, I've got some good news," Terry said. "The show's sold out!"

"AWESOME!" James replied as he bucked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if half of Equestria shows up," John added.

"Unfortunately, I've also got some bad news."

"What's that?" Marty asked.

"Fluttershy and her friend here...well, I suppose I should let her explain." He stepped aside to let her speak her piece; Fluttershy cleared her throat and began. "Well, I've been a fan of yours for a long, long time...ever since I was a filly. Because of my personality and the job I do in Ponyville, I thought it would be hard for my friends to believe I was a fan. I kept it a secret between Angel and myself for a while..."

The band listened as she explained and seemed to be sympathetic to her plight. When she got to the part about covering her tracks in front of Applejack and Twilight, the band could only shake their heads in disappointment.

"You should've just told 'em you liked us," Marty said.

"I...I know that now, Marty, but I wasn't thinking straight. I never told them because...I didn't think they'd believe me. I thought that...my personality and my shyness...didn't fit the image of a Warhorse fan."

John smiled and put his leg over her shoulder. "I've seen plenty of ponies like you at our concerts."

"You...you have?"

"Absolutely. No matter where we go, I see colts, mares, fillies, old stallions, young bucks-horses from all walks of life in our audiences. I've seen whole families come to our shows, some of 'em even with grandma and grandpa. Young and old, gentle and rough, working class and upper crust. I've seen all of 'em."

During John's explanation, Terry nodded at a roadie standing near the buffet spread. With Fluttershy enthralled by John's speech, the roadie was able to slip two tickets in his guitar case without incident. As he returned to the table, Terry nodded at James, giving him the go-ahead. "And speaking of that..." James said as he pulled the tickets from his guitar case, "we hope to see you in the crowd tomorrow."

Fluttershy's eyes widened in joy and she smiled from ear to ear as she took the tickets. "How did you get these?"

"We've got our ways," Terry cracked, winking at the roadie in the process.

Squealing with delight, Fluttershy gave each of them a big hug while saying "Thankyouthankyouthankyou" over and over again. It was a dream come true for her and Angel...in more ways than one. And then Terry asked a question that there was no way she could refuse:

"Fluttershy, before you go, do you want a photo with us?"

* * *

><p>Back at Fluttershy's house, her departure had brought about an impromptu playdate with her friends and their pets. Rainbow Dash and Tank were performing aerial tricks while Applejack and Winona played fetch, Twilight, Spike and Owlowicious rode around the countryside, Pinkie and Gummy played in the stream, and Rarity teased Opal with a catnip-filled toy mouse. All was well when Rainbow spotted a yellow dot on the horizon.<p>

"Hey, Fluttershy's back!" she exclaimed. Everypony gathered and awaited her arrival, which only took her about ten seconds. A huge, dazed smile was on her face and tears of joy were in her eyes as she stood before the group, unable to speak.

"Well? Did you get your tickets?" Dash asked.

Fluttershy nodded her head, her expression unchanging.

"One for you and one for Angel?"

Another goofy nod.

"So what's with the face?"

Angel reached into her saddlebag and handed the girls a photograph. Dash took one look at it and her jaw dropped. There was Fluttershy, standing in between John and Terry, with Marty and James laying down in the grass in front of them.

Fluttershy had hung out with Warhorse, and she had the picture to prove it.

"Met Terry," she stammered, not quite believing her luck. "Met the band next. Got two tickets from the band, even though they were sold out. Un...be...lievable."

"I'll say," Pinkie said. "You're one lucky pony."

In the end, all Fluttershy could do was smile.


	6. And The Band Plays On

It was easily the strangest sight any of the girls had seen. When they met at the library before heading to the Stable, Fluttershy showed up in a _Know Your Limits_ T-shirt and sporting a magnetic stud earring in her right ear. Angel Bunny had Warhorse's flying W logo drawn on his chest and wore dark sunglasses to emphasize his coolness.

"Excuse me, miss, have you seen our friend Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash cracked when she saw their outfits. "She must have gotten lost on her way here."

Fluttershy giggled and replied, "I'm right here, Rainbow. Where else would I be?"

"At the Stable. It's almost showtime!"

"Right! Girls...let's go!" It was three hours until the concert started, and they wanted to make sure they had a decent spot on the floor. When they reached the Stable, a line had long since formed and curled from the front doors back around the rear of the building and back towards Ponyville. With their spot in line secured, they began to talk and reminisce about adventures and lessons learned, which jogged Fluttershy's memory.

"Oh...that reminds me. I have to prepare my friendship report! Spike, take a letter, if you could," she requested.

With pen and paper at the ready, Spike answered, "Go ahead!"

"Dear Princess Celestia:

Everypony has different interests and hobbies. In fact, some of them might be the polar opposite of that pony's personality. There's no reason to feel ashamed or embarassed about that, and as long as nopony is getting hurt, you shouldn't keep it a secret. Who knows-sometimes you may find that your interest is shared by your friends, and they can help you enjoy what you like to do even more.

Sincerely, Fluttershy."

The letter finished, Spike delivered it to Canterlot with a puff of his fire breath, startling the ponies ahead of them in line. "Hey, watch where you're breathin' that!"

"Oops...sorry," Spike said as he shrank back near Twilight. The group had been in line for nearly two hours, and Spike was curious to see how big the crowd was going to be. He jumped on her back to get a better view of where they stood, and was stunned to see that the line stretched nearly all the way back to Ponyville. He'd had a feeling the concert was going to be huge, but this was massive. All he could muster was a small "Holy cow."

"Can you believe it, girls?" Rainbow Dash asked, jumping up and down in excitement. "It's almost time! It's almost time! THIS IS GONNA ROCK!"

"You know it, Dash!" Applejack exclaimed. "This'll be one to remember!"

"And Rarity? Thank you so much for coming."

"Oh, it wasn't a problem at all, darling," the white unicorn answered.

"That's funny-I thought you didn't like Warhorse," Pinkie said.

"Just because I may not be a fan doesn't mean I can't spend time with my friends."

Everypony smiled as Fluttershy gave her an appreciative nuzzle. "It wouldn't have been the same without you, Rarity."

The white unicorn nuzzled her back and replied, "I'm always happy to oblige."

All of a sudden, the girls noticed the line begin to move. Fluttershy let out a giddy squeal of anticipation as they made their way into the arena and down to the floor. Taking their spot in the middle of the floor about a quarter of the way from the stage, they watched as the arena filled up with more and more ponies, fillies, mares, stallions, and the like. In less than a half hour, the stands were almost completely full.

"WOW! Look at the size of this crowd!" Pinkie exclaimed. "I should have brought my party cannon!"

"Okay, everypony, here's some concert etiquette," Twilight said. "One: Make sure you're wearing proper ear protection." She pulled out eight sets of earplugs, all of which were taken and inserted by everypony.

"Two: If you're going to headbang or dance around, make sure there's enough space between you and the next pony. You don't want anypony to get hurt."

Fluttershy looked around and extended her front legs to either side, flapping her wings for leverage. She had plenty of room to headbang or dance around.

"Third, and this is the most important: Have a good time!"

"Oh, I intend to," Fluttershy responded with a huge smile.

Just as Twilight finished her sentence, the lights dimmed and the crowd exploded in cheers. Rarity glanced at Fluttershy and saw the timid, bashful pony had disappeared. In her place was a loud, boisterous, excited beyond all reason pony. Rarity smiled and shook her head in disbelief as the house announcer thundered across the PA system:

"FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS, ARE YOU READY?"

The crowd cheered their approval.

"COMING TO YOU STRAIGHT FROM MANEHATTAN, GIVE IT UP FOR THE ONE..."

Dash and Fluttershy held each other in anticipation.

"...THE ONLY..."

Twilight's eyes widened in delight as Applejack chewed on her hoof. Pinkie jumped up and down, cheering and whooping with reckless abandon. It was almost time.

"...WAAAAAAAARHOOOOOOOOOOOOOORSE!"

A simultaneous crash of drums, bass and guitar signaled the band's arrival. As they took the stage, the crowd reached a state of near-civil unrest, with Terry giving a pleased smile and nodding his head as he watched the scene unfold.

"Oh yeah, that's what I like to see, Ponyville!" he thundered. With another triumphant crash, the music stopped, leaving a solitary spotlight on Terry as he shouted out the opening lines to "Hooves Down," sending the crowd into a frenzy:

"WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, YOU STAND UP AND FIGHT!"

The crowd answered back: "PUT YOUR HOOVES DOWN AND CHARGE WITH ALL OF YOUR MIGHT!"

Terry continued, with the crowd matching his vocals every step of the way: "GET THE ENEMY LOCKED ON AND DEAD IN YOUR SIGHTS!"

This was it. Her time to shine. Fluttershy took a deep breath and screamed the last line at the absolute top of her lungs: "AND PUT YOUR HOOVES DOWN AND CHAAAAAAAAAAARGE...WITH ALL OF YOUR MIGHT!"

The song kicked into gear with a literal bang and flash of smoke as the band began to play. Worried, the girls looked around to see if Fluttershy had been startled away by the pyro, but, to their utter shock, Fluttershy had long since lost herself in the music, her hooves in the air, screaming and cheering, having the time of her life.

When the song ended, Fluttershy leapt into the air and was caught by her friends, yelling, "THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH, GIRLS! THIS IS THE BEST NIGHT EVER!"

When she finished yelling, she heard Warhorse begin to play "In Sanity." And while the rest of the show would prove to be just as memorable, with Twilight and Dash air-guitaring to the solo of "Lead The Way," passing various ponies along as they crowdsurfed, Applejack and Rarity (against her will) crowdsurfing during the encore, and Spike and Angel forming a two-animal mosh pit, the simplicity of this moment would stick with Fluttershy forever. Her friends all crowded together and began to sing along, including Rarity. Surprised, Dash turned to her and exclaimed, "I THINK WE GOT YOU TO LIKE 'EM!"

"JUST A LITTLE, DARLING! BESIDES, I'VE HEARD THIS SONG A MILLION TIMES! IT'S QUITE EASY TO REMEMBER!"

Between the smiles on their faces, the comraderie between them, and the unison of their voices amidst the crowd, this perfect storm of events had Fluttershy beaming. Her fears had been unfounded. Her friends were having the time of their lives. And she was right there with them, her voice cutting through the air, singing about reigning in sanity and beating down her demons.

And reign they did.


End file.
